Ohio Mother Charged With Murder After Boy Found Beaten at Motel Dies

Ohio Mother Charged With Murder After Boy Found Beaten at Motel Dies
Rachael Bostian, Theresa Hawkins-Stephens and Ramona Bostian (Police handout)
Jack Phillips
5/2/2016
Updated:
5/2/2016

The mother of two boys who were found severely beaten at an Ohio motel has been charged with murder after one of them died.

The Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News reported that a 5-year-old was tied up for 22 hours in a wooded area and was struck around his head and body. However, it seems the boy never left his motel room or their mother’s presence. 

The boy and his 6-year-old brother were found after police officers responded to a 911 call in Middletown, Ohio.

Theresa Hawkins-Stephens, 26, and another woman, 29-year-old Rachael Bostian, were charged with murder felonious assault, and endangering children. Their bond was set for $1 million.

A third woman, Bostian’s mother, 56-year-old Ramona Bostian, was charged with assault and endangerment. Her bond is $500,000.

Middletown police Maj. Mark Hoffman told WDTN-TV said Thursday that investigators think that the boys were wrapped in a blanket and beaten after one took food.

Preliminary hearings for each of the women were set for Friday, May 6. “This is going to a preliminary hearing,” Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser told FOX19 last week. “I want the public to see this case as early as possible.”

When officers arrived, they found evidence of abuse.

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
twitter